So I've just updated to PS CC 2018 and have noticed that if I press a tool shortcut twice, first time it selects the tool, 2nd time it goes back tot he previous tool (which can be annoying if you're flicking between tools a lot and just automatically press to select the tool you want to use, if you already have it selected!

More annoying, if I (for example) hit 'J' for the healing tool and then '[' to reduce the brush size. It does the same thing. Rather than reduce the brush, it deselects the healing brush and goes back to whatever I had selected before.

What you are describing is not the normal behavior of the app. Further, I can't reproduce it either. I also tried the specific example of pressing J and then [ or ].

Assuming you have the default Toolbox, pressing J once, twice, or a zillion times should all just activate the Spot Healing Brush. Pressing T will give you the Horizontal Type tool. To access related tools, such as Healing Brush or Patch tool, add SHIFT to the J to cycle through the various options. Same with the various versions of Type tool via SHIFT+T.

In no event should pressing the same button twice give you some new tool and then the former one.

Do you have a tablet connected to your machine? Have you checked for an updated driver?

This has happened to me in the past, David. It was not consistently reproducible so I just ignored it when it happened. I haven't noticed it for sometime so had assumed that it was fixed. I also just tried and no luck in reproducing. I would make a note if it happens again.

Are you using a Wacom tablet? Some other tablet? If not, what about other utilities you have running concurrently, particularly screen capture apps.

I ask because if you're seeing this, it's almost certainly due to some companion app or bit of hardware that's misbehaving. There's nothing in Photoshop that should cause you to switch between tools if you press the same shortcut. But I'd like to know what the triggers or conditions are so we can either put in some defensive code and/or communicate/coordinate with the provider of the errant software/hardware.

Hey David, I am using a Wacom, yes. I really haven't seen it of recently though. When next and if I do, I would record the sequence and come back to this thread. p.s. I'm liking your pragmatic and proactive approach(insert big biceps emoticon here) :-)

Sounds like a bug with the driver. Not what you want to hear, but almost certainly accurate. This is the third Wacom bug I've run down today. 8-(

Could you let me know what specific OS you're running and which Wacom device and driver you have, so I can submit a bug to them? You can email me directly at david <dot> mohr <at> adobe <dot> com if you'd like.